6:30 – hang around sitting for a while, talk to mates, go for a nice warm up.

7:32 – there’s no swim warm up+walk to pontoon, jump in and pray water is OK. Water is OK!

7:35 – We’re off… surprisingly calm on the first two minutes!.... only a 2 punches and someone grabbing my shouder. Try to keep veering left as there’s a strong current. Where’s the buoy?

7:46 – Now swimming into the wharf, current going the other side, but not many others around? Where am I? is it OK to keep swimming this way? Stop. Watch. Go.

7:57 – Out – run – wettie off – sunnies on – take bike – Go.
8:00 – Head wind… what’s my heart doing? – get feet into shoe – get other feet into shoe. DON’T LOOSE SPEED! – Heead wind
8:03 – Hill – hurts – Mate passess me like I’m standing - He should be still behind for at least 10 more km – Am I going that slow?
8:06 – Steep downhill – pass a few – nice sweeping bend – heartrate back to near normal.
8:33 – OK it was only half an hour ago that I was suffering, but this ain’t that bad… keep it up! – Old man goes by – Catch him, pass him

8:48 – Steep hill going up, mate on the side of the road, high five – more cheers from people, hands off the bar and up to the sky – laugh – Go down fast, sweeping bend.

9:09 – bike off, socks on – Need new racing flats – Gel – go
9:11 – this ain’t working, I used to go fast off the bike, where’s the legs?
9:20 – Long straight, 20 people ahead, pass them all, SOON
9:30 – One more lap, go harder this time
9:44 – this is going to be a long sprint, GO
9:48 – I didn’t even know I could sprint for that long… did I go hard enough on the bike?. FINISH.

What a great race it was, the setting, the people, the massive field. I am already looking forward to the world champs next year.